


Discoveries

by SundomsPetal



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Sexual Situations, Canon Compliant, F/F, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Post-Canon, Romance, Shameless Smut, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-11-09 00:17:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20844425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SundomsPetal/pseuds/SundomsPetal
Summary: Discoveries; or, Aloy Lets Her Hair Down.After the fight at the Spire, Aloy finally has some time to herself and this includes figuring out what she's been missing out on. The trouble is, she doesn't have any experience when it comes to these things. Luckily, her good friend Talanah is eager to help her bag a certain Captain.And yes, you read the tags right: there is some Aloy/Talanah action in here, but it's not in a romantic way... More like a sexy mentor and apprentice relationship *wink*





	1. Drinks

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fan fiction in like... Forever. I've just finished the game and I was absolutely smitten with Aloy and Erend and was devastated by the lack of romance. Oh well, that's what we're here for, right?
> 
> I'm not really going to pretend that there'll be much of a plot in this thing. I don't think I really have the brain power to pull that off. What I do hope to have the brain power to do is to get these two idiots to have some sexy time together.
> 
> Finally, if you are a hardcore AloyxErend shipper, please don't be put off by the Talanah thing. I haven't decided how far I'll let the two women go, but I will still consider this an AloyxErend fic. That is where my heart lies, so hang in there!
> 
> Comments and kudos will nourish my soul (and writing!) <3

The Hunter's Lodge was warm and buzzing as usual. Aloy and Talanah were seated in one of the quieter corners, sipping their drinks and talking about the rebuilding of Meridian, the latest political developments and other gossip as it came up.

In the months since the final fight at the Spire, Aloy had been spending the majority of her time helping the citizens of the city repair the buildings, the defenses and whatever else was needed.

"I don't know what we would've done without you," Talanah said.

Aloy laughed, a bit nervously. She was still getting used to all the praise and the accompanying reverence that came with it, seemingly from every single person she crossed paths with.

She shook her head. "We did you together. You, me, Vanasha, Erend, Petra… The Nora and Avad's forces. All of us."

Talanah eyed her for a moment. "I'll take the praise where I can get it, Little Thrush. By the Sun, it was a good fight. As hard as it was, I can't say that I didn't enjoy it. It's made the trials of the Lodge seem like child's play. I know there's still machines out there that need hunting, but now I know we can do anything we put our minds to."

Aloy smiled. It was nice being able to relax like this. Socialising. These things were new to her; her life up until the Spire was a whirlwind of action and pressing tasks. For the first time, she could relax. It made her a bit uneasy, but at the same time, she did enjoy it. Going from a very quiet and solitary life, to now living in Meridian… It was certainly different, and though she had days that she felt like her head would explode, she still couldn’t think of anywhere better to be.

Talanah looked at her. “So, what’s next for the Saviour of Meridian?”

Aloy squirmed in her seat. It was a question that frequently popped into her head. What was next? There was more of the world of the Ancients to be uncovered, that much was sure. A young Carja noble had also mentioned something about an evil force threatening in the deep north of the Banuk lands, but for now… She wasn’t sure. What should she do?

“I’m not sure. I’m trying to relax,” Aloy said with a nervous laugh.

Talanah gave a laugh. “Relax! Hah. I’ll believe it when I see it. You, relax? What does that mean to you?”

“Uhhh….” Aloy hesitated. “I’m not exactly sure.” She fidgeted with her drink. “What do you do to relax?”

The Sun Hawk straightened up in her seat a bit and looked around the Lodge. “Well, although I can’t say that I’ve been as busy as you, I certainly haven’t had an easy few years. However, you asked what I would do to relax? Apart from hunting, I’d probably go drinking and dancing. Let my hair down.”

Aloy stared at her. “Let your hair down?”

“Yeah, you know. Unwind, socialise, see what’s on offer around the city.”

“On offer?”

Talanah shifted forward in her seat and gave Aloy a long look. “Yeah, you know. Go hunting of a different kind.”

A confused look settled on Aloy’s face. “Hunting?”

Talanah threw back her head and laughed heartily. “By the Sun, Aloy, do I have to spell it out for you? You know… Have some fun. Let my guard down, blow off some steam.”

“You’ve lost me.”

Talanah put down her drink with a loud thud. “Hang on,” she said, “You DO know what I mean, right?” She looked intently at the young Nora. “I don’t know a lot about Nora culture, but surely you people… You know… Get together?”

Aloy squirmed again, not sure where this conversation was going. Once again, she felt woefully out of touch with the people around her.

“Over there,” Talanah said, leaning over the table. “See that guy in the silver armour? His name is Randew. I was thinking I might blow off some steam with him tonight. Later. By the Sun, I know he’s good for it.”

Aloy followed Talanah’s eyes to where a handsome, dark skinned man was talking to an older person nearby. She still wasn’t exactly sure what Talanah meant, but something told her that she should know - what was she missing?

Something in the blank look on Aloy’s face sobered up Talanah for a bit.

“Wait,” she said. “Hang on. HANG ON.”

“What?” Aloy sputtered.

“You do know what I’m talking about, don’t you?”

Aloy hesitated. Did she know? She thought that maybe she did. She did know what some men and women did together, in private, or at least, she did have some idea of it. But her ideas were all borne from snippets of moments she had observed throughout her travels. She had no experience of her own, and Rost had never really gone into detail of these things. Their time had been solely devoted to preparing her for the Proving. And with her mission to stop Hades and the Eclipse, she had scarcely had time to pursue these interactions on her own.

Talanah picked up her drink and leaned back in her seat. “You know,” she said. “I’m beginning to think I might’ve finally found something you don’t know everything about.” The Hawk’s smile was sly and she angled her head as she looked at the red-headed woman in front of her.

Talanah leaned forward again. “Let me guess. Throughout all your travels in the Sundom and beyond, you haven’t once let your guard down and let caution to the wind with a handsome stranger.”

Aloy, who had just taken a sip of her drink, spluttered. “What??”

“HA! I knew it,” Talanah laughed, her golden jewellery glimmering in the light from the sconces. She shook her head, then straightened herself. “I don’t blame you, young Thrush. You had one hell of a mission in front of you. But now that that’s all behind you, perhaps this is exactly what you need?”

“I, uhm….” Aloy mumbled, toying with her drink.

“Okay, so you’ve never laid with a man. That’s fine, probably even normal… With your people? But let me tell you something. Meridian is a free city. You’ve seen that, you know it. Ever since Jiran fell, this place has been fair to both men and women. You and me, we are free to do as we wish. The older of the Sun Priests may turn their noses at it, but for years, we have been able to do as we wish… All you’ve gotta do is be careful not to fall pregnant, and that’s easy enough, if you know your herbs. Here, a woman can do whatever she wants. And by the Sun, Aloy, I don’t think I know someone who needs it as badly as you.”

Something like fire flared in Aloy’s cheeks. Were they really talking about this? She had been meeting with Talanah regularly, a friendship blossoming between the two. She liked Carja woman; her forwardness, no-nonsense attitude and her appreciation of justice. In any ways, it mirrored her own.

“Look, Little Thrush, I don’t mean no disrespect. I actually genuinely think this could be good for you. I’m speaking from experience when I say that sometimes, all you need is a man to make you forget about the troubles of the world. There’s nothing else like it.”

When Aloy said nothing, Talanah pushed on. “Or maybe not a man? Maybe a woman, in your case?”

Aloy looked up so fast her neck cracked.

Talanah laughed and took a long sip of her drink, finishing it. She raised her hand, ordering another round. “OK, not a woman. My bad.” She was smiling so brightly she practically shone.

“Uhh… I uhh…” Aloy tried. “No, not a woman. I don’t think.”

“Well, then, what do you think?”

“I’ve, uh, never really thought about it.”

“Never thought about? Really? I mean, I don’t want to put words in your mouth, but you must’ve felt certain… urges… every now and again? When you’ve been alone, going to sleep or whatever?”

Aloy paused and thought about that. Yes, she had had quiet moments by herself throughout her travels, usually when she settled down for the night. Usually she had been thinking about what lay ahead, her supplies, whatever needed doing the next day. But she had to admit that every now and again, the rare times that she had allowed her mind to wander, she had allowed her hands to roam over her own body…. Feeling herself, her curves and her sensitive places. More than a few times, a faceless stranger had appeared before her closed eyes, looming over her, pressing into her. Faceless… Well, usually faceless… Though sometimes… Sometimes, the ‘stranger’ had had a distinctive haircut, a gold earring gleaming in the dying fire light.

She shook her head and blushed.

“Tell me about it,” Talanah whispered.

Aloy looked up as the servant appeared with their drinks. She pulled her drink to her, taking a sip, thinking about whether she should divulge.

“Well,” she started. “I have thought about… Some things, but… You’re right, I’ve never done that with anyone.” She blushed again. “I don’t know anything. I wouldn’t know what to do.”

Talanah smiled. “Well! That’s fine, my Thrush. Really,” she said, putting her hand upon Aloy’s as she reached for a glass. “We all start from the same place.”

Aloy smiled nervously, shifting in her seat.

Talanah raised a single eyebrow and asked, “Is there a particular guy you take a fancy to?”

Aloy gave a nervous laugh and Talanah squeezed her hand. “It’s fine! Honestly. I’m just curious. Really, the moment you walked through the doors of the Lodge, I knew you were something special. Aloy, you have helped me beyond my wildest dreams and if I can somehow help you with this… With letting your hair down, so to speak… Then by the Sun, I will! Why not? I’ve been in this city for most of my life and I know what the men here are like. I KNOW what they like. You helped me slay Redmaw, and I’ll help you slay whoever visits you in your dreams.”

Aloyd couldn’t help but laugh at this. This was so outside her comfort zone, she didn’t know what to think or say.

“Unless, of course,” Talanah continued, “it’s not someone from Meridian.” 

It was Aloy’s time to raise her eyebrows.

“Am I right? It’s that handsome Nora Brave, isn’t it? The one who fought alongside us at the Spire?”

Aloy laughed and took another sip of her drink. Varl? Talanah thought that she was having daydreams about Varl? She snorted.

“OK, OK… No. Not the Brave. Who else?” Talanah’s brow furrowed, as if deep in thought. “Let me see. Honestly, I know that half the city has got the hots for you, but that may have gone all over your head. Someone that you’ve interacted with…Who… I know… Oh, the Sun, it’s Avad, isn’t it? The Sun King himself?” She slapped her hand to her forehead. “Aloy! I said I could help you, but this is the King we’re talking about! Sheesh… We’ll have to tread carefully… You know, politics and what not.”

Aloy couldn’t stifle back her laughter. It seemed the drinks, although she had asked for them to be weak, were getting to her. Or maybe it was just her Hawk’s jumping to conclusions that made it all seem funny? She had known that Avad had shown her interest, although when it had happened, she had felt uncomfortable and had shut it down immediately.

“Why are you laughing?”

Aloy turned her hand, grasping Talanah’s. Human contact, so long an absence from her life, was slowly becoming a source of comfort and she no longer shied away from it as she had in the past.

“It’s not Avad,” Aloy said with emphasis.

Talanah threw her hands in the air. “Thank the Sun! I’ve had my eyes on him for a while, you know.” She took another sip of her drink, winking at her. “Please keep that between you and me. It’s something I’m working on.” She leaned back in her seat, looking thoughtful. “OK, so not Varl, not Avad… Hmmm… Who else could’ve caught your fancy?” She ran her hand down her jaw, thinking hard. Then, something seemed to click and she cocked her head, looking straight at Aloy.

“You little minx.”

Aloy spluttered, perplexed. “What??” she said, not sure where Talanah was going.

A smirk came across Talanah’s face. “It’s Erend. It’s definitely Erend.”

At the mention of his name, Aloy felt herself go hot. What was wrong with her, why did a simple name make her body respond this way?

Across the table from her, Talanah crossed her arms, a satisfied look settling on her face. “You can hide it all you want, Little Thrush, but your whole demeanor is a dead give-away.” She leaned over the table, looking intently into Aloy’s green eyes. “You’ve got the hots for the Captain of the Vanguard.”


	2. Admissions

Aloy could think of no other time that she had wanted to crawl away and disappear more than she wanted to than at this moment. She should have known that it would’ve been easy for Talanah to deduce who had been visiting her in her dreams. Though Meridian was a large city, the group of people she was close to was small and Talanah knew them all.

Aloy swallowed another gulp of her drink slowly, mulling over her feelings now that they were obviously going to be addressed. So, Erend. The big, burly Captain of Avad’s personal army. She felt a curious flutter in the pit of her stomach as her mind wandered to him.

He had been one of the first people to speak to her, at least the first non-Nora to do so. She remembered exceptionally clearly their interaction; his attempts at jokes, how willingly he told her about the glory of Meridian, even though it became clear to her that his true homeland was somewhere else far away.

“Let me get this straight,” Talanah said, taking another sip of her drink. “Erend, that big oaf? Hah!” She smiled, then straightened up a bit when she noticed that Aloy had a very serious look on her face. “Hey, I don’t mean no disrespect. I like the guy! He’s great, don’t get me wrong.” She fell silent for a moment, mulling it over.

“Actually, it makes sense,” Talanah started again, “Erend is a nice guy, he’s got good morals, and he’s handsome, fit and not up tight. He’s actually really down to earth, despite his high position, now that I’ve come to think about it. Yeah,” she took another sip, “Yeah, I like it. You’ve chosen well.”

Aloy’s feelings of discomfort died down a bit with Talanah’s reassurances, but she still couldn’t relax completely. She wasn’t sure she should discuss these things with her new friend, when she herself hadn’t really taken the time to mull them over. She was happy to admit that she liked Erend - really liked him - but she was always stopping herself from thinking too deeply about it. Her solitary life and the way people had always scoffed at her meant that she was very cautious about letting anyone close to her and that definitely included letting herself think of things such as romance.

At the time, she had been vaguely aware that Erend’s way of interacting with her in Mother’s Heart was crude flirting. She was sorely inexperienced, but she did know that much. She hadn’t paid much attention to it at the time, but the more time they had spent together, the more she had grown to like his gruff, yet affectionate behaviour. He was refreshingly different to anyone else she had met, although he did share some characteristics with other Oserams. Loud and boisterous, yet with a surprising gentleness. The thought of his many silly jokes caused her lips to curl into a small smile.

“You there?” Talanah asked, snapping Aloy out of her reverie. “Where did you go? Dreaming about a tall, armoured man with stupid facial hair?”

Aloy laughed aloud. “Talanah! No, I didn’t… I don’t…” but she found she couldn’t finish her sentence. Instead, she took another sip of her drink. 

“You are like an open book, Aloy. Has anyone ever told you that? You might be good at getting what you want, but you have never been very good at hiding your emotions. We might have to work on that.”

Aloy frowned. “Why?”

“Because,” Talanah said, her voice lowering as she went on, “It’s good to keep the men guessing. Just a little bit. Not to play any games, but a woman’s allure is one of our best strengths.”

“A woman’s allure?” Aloy stared at her blankly.

“Yeah, I’m not going to promise that I can teach you that, but there’s never been a test I’ve said no to.” Talanah took another sip of her drink, looking around the Lodge. “Look, as long as you’re comfortable with it, why don’t you tell me where you stand with Erend. What’s the latest? I know for a fact he follows you around like a lost puppy given the chance and the other times he’s just looking at you like you’re Sun itself. That man has got it bad.”

Aloy blushed scarlet. Was that true? She knew that Erend liked her, he’d told her as much. But she hadn’t paid much attention to how he was looking at her - why would she? - and they had all been very busy with all the tasks to do with the rebuilding.

“Go on, spill,” Talanah continued.

“I, uh… Where I stand with Erend?” She looked at Talanah, who nodded enthusiastically. “I, uh, don’t know? We’re friends? I guess?”

“Friends.” The way Talanah said the word made it sound like something unpleasant.

“Yeah, friends,” Aloy said. “We’ve been busy with the rebuilding. We don’t spend time together just one on one. We’re always around other people. He’s really busy, as you know. There’s not much to say.”

“Hmmm,” Talanah said carefully. “Friends. I can work with that.” She sipped her drink again before speaking again. “Aloy, as your friend, and your Hawk, I would be honoured to help you… Ahem, get closer to Erend, so to speak. If you like.” When she noticed Aloy was about to protest, she hurried along, “Only if you want. Honestly. I feel like you deserve a bit of leisure time. By the Sun, that’s not exactly a revelation. And,” Talanah leaned over the table, her voice becoming low and hushed, “if what I’ve heard about the Captain is true, you’re in for a treat.”

Aloy started at Talanah, who smiled in a dangerous way.

“I don’t want to sound crude, but apparently the good Captain is particularly good when it comes to these things. Apparently, he’s quite the expert.”

Images flashed before Aloy’s eyes: her and Erend, in some unknown bedroom, the lights flickering low, his eyes dark and a sly smile on his face.

Talanah licked her lips. “I’m sorry if that’s a bit much for you - as I’ve said, I don’t know much about Nora customs, so I don’t know if you value chastity or whatever. If that’s the case, I’m sorry… But I can speak with confidence when I say you don’t want to waste your time with a man who has no idea what he’s doing. You want someone with expertise.”

Aloy squirmed, again. This conversation really was getting out of hand. Erend was an expert? There were rumours about that? What did that even mean? She thought about her own non-existent experience and a sense of hopelessness washed over her. If Erend was a so-called ‘expert’, what would he possibly want with her?

“Hey, what’s that look for?” Talanah asked. “Why are you looking so sad all of a sudden?”

“Talanah, I don’t know anything about these things. Thank you for your words, but this is all well outside my comfort zone. I do… I think… I do like Erend, really, but I just have no idea what to do with that information,” Aloy sighed.

Talanah straightened up in her seat. “That’s what I’m here for. I already said that.”

Aloy gave her a weak smile. “And how would you even fix that… Fix me?”

Talanah stretched her arms out in front of her, wrapping her hands together and cracking her knuckles. “Oh, there are many things I can do to help you. To show you. If you let me.”

When Aloy didn’t say anything, the Carja continued. “I don’t want to brag, but between you and me,” she gave Aloy a knowing look, “I can make things happen. I have been around Meridian politics long enough to know what makes people tick. A little bit of this, a little bit of that and,” she snapped her fingers, “social engineering. Just like that. Honestly, it’s not magic.”

Aloy lifted her drink to her mouth and took a long sip. She knew she had a dubious look on her face, but she couldn’t help it. Nine out of ten times, she felt awkward in her interactions with other people, men and women alike. She was too brash, outspoken. A woman’s allure? She could forget about that, she knew she didn’t have even a drop of it in her veins.

“Listen, my Nora friend. You say you like Erend and I can tell you that he is definitely interested in you. I don’t even think I would need to do anything other than lock the two of you in a room and be done with it. But I’ll tell you what. If we’re going to do this, we might as well do it well. By the Sun, there has never been a woman more deserving of having a man fight for her than you. I say we make Erend work for it.”

Aloy’s eyes widening, her blush now a permanent fixture on her face. “How… How would you do that?”

“Well, we’d take things slow, for one. You’ve waited what, nineteen years for this? What’s a few months more?”

Aloy nodded slowly. She knew that most women her age probably had already had numerous romances to their name, if they weren’t already married and with children. She thought of the young Carja girl she’d helped, and her secret lover. That story had stayed with her, as clear in her mind as ever. She had thought about them often, wondering what love like that must feel like.

“I say we get the Captain nice and worked up before you even think about inviting him into your bedroom,” Talanah continued.

Aloy shook her head, her focus coming back to Talanah. Her bedroom? That was so far away from anything she had ever considered. She had never even kissed anyone… Never even held someone’s hand.

“Talanah,” she started, tentatively. “Taking it slow seems like a good idea to me. But I’ve got to you something else… You were right about me not having lain with a man before, but it’s worse than that. I’ve never…” she swallowed, the words all of a sudden difficult to get out. “I’ve never even kissed anyone.”

Talanah set down her drink so fast and loud that several people around them turned their heads. “By the Sun,” she said.

A frown crept on Aloy’s face. She felt inadequate, somehow. She had never paid this part of her life much attention, but by putting words to it, it reinforced her feelings of being an outcast and not being fit for society.

Talanah seemed to quickly pick up on her expression, and grasped her hand again. “Aloy, no! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean no disrespect. I simply meant… You are one hell of an awesome girl, and it’s an absolute crime that no one has ever kissed you before. Honestly! You deserve all the kissing in the world.”

Aloy gave another nervous laugh, not knowing what to think. She deserved to be kissed? Why?

“OK,” Talanah said, nodding her head as if speaking to herself. “OK, we will start slow. Very slow. From the very start. That’s good. I can do that. I can work with that.”

The knot that had been building in Aloy’s stomach began to loosen a bit at these words.

“Little Thrush, this is what we’ll do. We will still make Erend work for it, but we will also prepare you.”

“Prepare me?”

“Well, yes,” Talanah said, looking around the room, as if making sure that no one was listening in on their conversation. “Now this might seem a bit much to you, but let me tell you. When I was a teenager, me and my friends used to… Help each other.”

“Help each other?”

“Yes. Practice… You know, a few practice rounds before going out in the field for the real thing.”

Aloy started at Talanah, dumb struck, who in turn threw her head back and laughed.

“I knew that was bound to surprise you. Yes, practice. You probably won’t believe me, but this is quite common among young Carja women. I’ll put this into plain terms for you, so there’s no misunderstandings. If you want, I can teach you how to kiss like a professional.”

At these words, Aloy positively gaped at her friends. Talanah wanted to teach her how to kiss? How would she even do that? Surely she didn’t mean…

“And yes, I mean teaching you by kissing you,” Talanah stated. Somewhere in the back of Aloy’s head, she knew that the numerous drinks the Carja had imbibed played a role in this conversation, but oddly, they also made her feel strangely relaxed about this sudden proposition.

“Of course, I’ll only do it you want me to. You have to be OK with it, that’s obvious. But I would absolutely love for you to blow the good Captain’s mind when the time comes, and unfortunately, that can only happen with practice.”

Aloy felt very hot, and it wasn’t just because of the blushing she’d been subject to. She should practice kissing with Talanah? She looked at the woman across the table, her eyes slowly moving over the features of her delicate face. Aloy had always found her to be very beautiful and elegant; so very different from her herself. Aloy’s hair was wild, untamed, and freckles covered most of her body. She never wore makeup and she was always wearing some sort of clunky armour. Talanah, on the other hand, always looked exquisitely put together, her hair smooth and shiny, her outfits obviously carefully tailored to fit her slender body. And her lips… Aloy’s eyes settled on the Sun Hawk’s lips, which were dark and shiny, glistening in the low light of the Lodge. 

“You’re staring,” Talanah said with a straight face. When Aloy blushed an even deeper shade of crimson, Talanah broke into a giggle. “Am I making you reconsider women, Nora huntress?” she whispered, her tone a teasing edge to it.

“What? No! Talanah…” Aloy started, then faltered.

“I’m just messing with you,” Talanah said, her eyes twinkling with mirth. “Ah, these drinks must be getting to me.” She put her empty glass down and looked around for the server to order another round. “Don’t worry, I’m not trying to claim you for myself. I’m actually being serious. I will help you.”

Aloy still didn’t know what to say. She looked around the Lodge nervously, unable to commit to Talanah’s offer. As her gaze crossed to the entrance, the doors swung open and a man walked in.

Talanah’s eyes had followed Aloy’s. “By the Sun. What are the odds.”

The Captain of the Vanguard walked into the room, looking around as if searching for someone.

“Well, well, well,” Talanah said, her voice thick. “This whole night just got a whole lot interesting.”

Aloy whipped her head back to her friend, her eyes pleading. “Talanah, please. Please don’t say anything. Don’t call him over.”

The Carja woman’s eyes narrowed, a smile playing on her lips. “OK, OK. I won’t. If you don’t want me to, then I won’t. Although what I wouldn’t give to have him join our table… What can I say, I’m a sucker for making you squirm.”

As Aloy continued to stare at Talanah, Talanah winked at her.

“But, as your Hawk, it is my duty to train you and to bring you up to the task in front of you. I will not expose you to anything you are not ready for.”

At this, Aloy let out a shaky breath. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Talanah reached across the table and clasped Aloy’s hand again. “So, what do you say, Thrush? Will you take me up on my offer? Will you let me turn you into a master of seduction?”

Aloy bit her lip, feeling the alcohol truly coursing through her veins now. Her skin felt prickly and hot and she was a bit light-headed. What was she about to agree to? She swallowed, trying to figure out what she wanted as quickly as possible. The answer came to her quickly. Much like Talanah, when had she ever shied away from a challenge? What was really so different from this than from any other skill that she’d had to practice to master?

Slowly, but surely, Aloy turned her face and look Talanah straight in the eye. “Yes.”

Talanah flashed her the biggest smile Aloy had ever seen. “Yes. Hell yes! Aloy, my girl,” she gave her hand a squeeze. “OK, then. I say you get some sleep and then you’ll meet me at my place Sunday night at nightfall.”

Aloy took a deep breath. “OK. OK. I can do this.”

“Hell yes, you can. Now let’s get out of here.”

As both women stood up and stepped away from their table, a familiar voice called out. “Aloy! Talanah! I didn’t see you there.”

Aloy closed her eyes, the flush again spreading throughout her whole body. She turned, slowly to face Erend. 

“If it isn’t Erend Vanguardsman,” she heard Talanah say. “What brings you to my Lodge, Captain?”

Erend’s eyes flickered between the two, as if unsure where to look. “I’m here to meet with Ayshan. We’re still splitting the night patrols beyond the maizelands until the Vanguard finds our new recruits.”

Talanah nodded at this.

Erend ran a hand through his mohawk and Aloy couldn’t help cast her eyes over his face and down over his body. His shoulders looked impossibly broad, his armour fitted closely over his body. Had he always looked this good?

“I knew I’d probably find you here, Talanah,” Erend continued. “But Aloy! I didn’t know you liked to to come here… Drinking?”

Aloy smiled feebly. “Hi, Erend.”

Talanah put her arm over Aloy’s shoulder and drew her close to her body. Aloy could suddenly smell Talanah’s perfume, spicy and flowery and at the same time.

“She likes to come here, all right,” Talanah said, eyeing Erend intently. “We’ve just been going over some… Secret stuff.” The way she said the last sentence, her voice soft and mysterious, made Erend’s eyes go wide.

“Uhm…” He started, then faltered.

“Don’t worry, Captain,” Talanah almost whispered, leaning closer to Erend. “Aloy is in safe hands with me. We’ve got some things we need to tend to, urgently.” Talanah took a step forward, dragging Aloy with her. “So please excuse us, Erend. I better take this young Nora girl home.”

And with that, Aloy was pulled towards the exit, leaving a dumbstruck Erend behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I would love any feedback.
> 
> Future chapters will be posted as they are written. I'm not sure how long this will be, it depends on how slow I want Aloy and Erend (and Talanah) to take things, hehe :)


	3. Mornings

Aloy woke the next morning with a groan. She sat up in her bed, squinting at the morning light that shone through the curtains of her apartment - Olin’s old apartment, where she had been staying since the battle.

“Ugh,” she sighed. Her body felt heavy and tired. How many drinks had she had last night? She very rarely drank alcohol, usually only a single one and usually one of those fruity concoctions only available in Meridian. She liked to keep her head clear and focused, even though there were no more pressing danger lying ahead. But Talanah had a way of making her feeling relaxed, their conversations flowing so easily. Only once had she tried a beer, and she had been disgusted by the taste. It had been on Erend’s urging, one night at a Brightmarket tavern, when they were completing repairs down there.

Erend.

The memories of last night came flooding back to her and she groaned again, slumping back against the mattress. What on earth had she said? Why had she let Talanah know about her budding feelings for the Oseram?

She took a deep breath, thinking about what else they had talked about. She remembered Talanah’s offer of ‘teaching’ and she felt herself starting to blush again. She wondered with her friend had been serious about her offer, or if had just been the drinks talking. She suspected the former, though. Should she take her up on it?

Getting to her feet, Aloy walked to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. She looked at her reflection. Her pale skin, sun kissed cheeks and messy braids. Dressed in her simple, earth-coloured tunic, she could see the faint outlines of the scars on her arms. Compared to Talanah, she was not exactly a beauty queen. The Carja women in the city all wore elaborate clothes, jewellery and painted their faces, accenting their features. Aloy had never done any of that - she’d never had any need to and she couldn’t see herself starting to, now.

Was it true that Erend looked at her, the way Talanah had described? What was there even to look at? Judging by what she saw in the mirror, just a very plain girl from the Savage Lands, as the Carja liked to refer to the Embrace as. Although… Erend had once called her pretty, she remembered with a smile. Pretty.

“That’s a start, I guess,” she mused and stepped into the shower.

\---

The week passed relatively quickly. There was always more to be done around the city. With the biggest repair tasks out of the way, it was now down to fixing smaller things, like the boating docks and housing facades. Aloy found that she still enjoyed the work, different to hunting as it was. She did still go hunting several times a week, machine salvage very much required by the many merchants there.

She was watching some carpenters raising wooden beams, getting ready to replace the damaged roof of one of the many fishermen’s buildings that had been destroyed when the deathbringers came marching.

“Aloy!” a familiar voice cried out behind her. She turned around to see Erend walking towards her, looking sweaty and tired even though it was only late morning. She knew he was pushing himself and his men in their tasks, and although it was often gruelling, with all the heavy lifting and hard labour, she knew that he enjoyed it as much as her, if not more. There was a definite satisfaction in seeing Meridian slowly being restored to its former glory.

“Erend. It’s good to see you,” she said as he stopped in front of her.

“Hah, I doubt it. Look at the state I’m in! We just had one hell of a morning laying the bricks for the north western bridge. Ugh,” he growled, wiping sweat and grime from his forehead. “It would’ve been a better time for the Shadow Carja to attack during the dry season. I’m not handling this blasted humidity very well.”

She laughed. “Yeah, well. I should’ve asked Hades and Helis to wait, shouldn’t I? I really messed that one up.”

Erend broke out in a laugh too. “Nah, Aloy, it’s nothing. We’ll get there. I just like to complain. It’s part of my culture. So…” he looked at her, faltering. “Did you have a good night the other night? Did you settle your, uh… Secret business?”

Aloy’s face froze, her eyes going wide. “Uh, ha, that was just… I don’t know what Talanah meant, we were just leaving.”

“Right,” Erend said, looking at her. “Well, I gotta say, it’s nice to see you out and about. I kinda thought you might just be all work and no play. It’s good to see you relax and put your hair down.”

Before Aloy could compose herself, she felt the blush creeping into her cheeks again. Why did she always have to blush? She WAS an open book, just like Talanah had said.

“Oh, yeah. Yeah, it’s been nice to take a moment for once. And I really like Talanah, she’s been great.”

“She is great, I agree. It’s good for you to make friends.” Erend looked around, almost as if nervous. “But you know, if you ever want to go drinking, you don’t just have to go with her.”

“I don’t really go drinking. It was just the one time.”

“Oh yeah. I know, I didn’t mean… I just thought, you know, if you ever wanted to--” but before Erend could finish his sentence, one of his men came running over.

“Captain! Sorry to interrupt, but there’s been a--” the other Vanguard said.

Erend scrunched up his face, clearly annoyed. “What is it, Barat?”

“Your help is needed at the bridge, Captain. Some of the locals are complaining about their deliveries or something and it’s getting a bit heated.”

“Fire and spit,” Erend grumbled, before turning back to face Aloy. “My apologies, Aloy. It seems I can’t even leave those meatheads alone for five minutes before they want to start another civil war with the Carja.”

Aloy smiled. “That’s quite alright, Erend. Please don’t let me keep you from your duties.”

The Oseram looked at her, his eyes meeting hers. “Yeah, well. OK, I gotta go. I’ll, uh… I’ll talk to you another time soon.” He seemed as thought he wanted to say something else, but must’ve decided against it, because he turned to go with Barat. Before he walked away, though, he put his hand on her shoulder, giving her a soft tap. “Yeah, I’ll… I’ll see you around, Aloy. Hopefully soon.”

She felt the familiar tingling sensation in her stomach the moment he touched her. “Sure, Erend. I’ll see you soon.”

Aloy’s eyes followed him as he walked away, watching him listen to Barat’s rambling explanation. Oh, wow, she thought to herself. There was no denying it. She really did like the Captain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the slightly short chapter. I'll be moving the story along as I see fit, hopefully fleshing out the people, their conversations and situations enough to keep it interesting.
> 
> Thanks for reading :)


	4. Planning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The education of Aloy is about to begin.

On Sunday night, Aloy found herself on the footsteps of Talanah’s apartment, which was situated between the Sun Palace and the Hunter’s Lodge. She looked up at the impressive building, which still showed signs of damage from the battle, but the scaffolding up the left side meant that repairs were now finally underway.

Aloy took a deep breath and pulled the chain that hung beside the door. She could hear the faint ring of the bell from somewhere inside the building.

She shifted on her feet as she waited. What had she signed up for?

I should turn around and go home, she muttered to herself. Leave now, while I have the chance.

Before she could make a decision, the large wooden door swung open and she found herself face to face with a young Carja girl.

“Miss Aloy! Please, come in,” the girl said, stepping aside and beckoning her to step through.

Aloy followed her orders and looked around. She had rarely been inside anyone’s home and this was definitely a step up from her own apartment, which she still found outrageously oversized. Talanah’s apartment obviously spanned at least two floors and was decorated with what looked like very expensive furniture and art.

“Wow, she whispered.

“Aloy, my friend! Welcome to my humble abode,” Talanah said from above and Aloy turned around to see her standing at the top of a curved staircase.

“It’s amazing,” Aloy replied, putting her hands up and gesticulating to her surroundings. “It’s almost as big as Avad’s palace.”

Talanah leaned her head back and laughed. “Not quite, my Thrush, but I’ll take that as your approval. Please, join me upstairs. It gets better.” The Sun Hawk turned to her servant. “Reeja, can you please bring us some lychee drinks? We will be on the balcony.”

At this, Reeja did a quick curtsy and quickly disappeared down the hallway.

Aloy made her way up the stairs. “I see being the Hawk comes with its perks,” she teased.

“Aloy, please. This home has been in my family’s possession for generations, although we did have to vacate it towards the end of the Mad Sun-King’s reign,” she said, then paused, looking sombre. “I had it restored once I returned to Meridian, and thankfully it was largely spared during the Eclipse attack. I don’t think it will be long before it’ll be back to what it used to.” She looked at her Nora friend, who looked apologetic for the comments she had made. Talanah gave her a sly smile. “At least, not if a certain Vanguard Captain gets a move on and gets the job done.”

Aloy smiled and rolled her eyes.

Talanah wrapped her hand around Aloy’s wrist and started pulling her down the hallway. Soon, they found themselves on a magnificent stone terrace and Aloy had to do a double take when she saw the view. Talanah’s place had a spectacular view over the city and one side of the palace. Looking the other way, Aloy saw the roof of the Sun Lodge. She could just make out the sound of music through the open windows.

“Wow,” she whispered again.

“I know, I’m not complaining,” Talanah replied. “Please, sit down.”

Reeja returned only moments later with a tray carrying the two drinks as well as an assortment of snacks. Aloy couldn’t quite believe that this is what Talanah’s life was like in private. She had never experienced such luxury before. The closest thing would’ve been what she had witnessed when she had met with Avad, but that was to be expected. He was the king, after all. To think that other people could also enjoy such a high standard of life made Aloy think back on her humble upbringing. No one in the Sacred Lands had anything that even came close to this, not even the High Matriarchs.

The two women sat down on a pair of reclining chairs that faced towards the Lodge and Talanah raised her glass in the air. “To Aloy,” Talanah said, smiling at her friend. “The Slayer of Machines, and soon to be Slayer of Men.”

Aloy looked at Talanah, who was still holding up her glass, moving it towards her.

“Don’t leave me hanging.”

Aloy suddenly realised what she was supposed to do; she had observed this custom during her visits to the Lodge. She lifted her own glass and carefully tapped it against Talanah’s. “Don’t say that,” she muttered.

“What? It’s true. Don’t back out on me now.” Talanah smirked and they both took a sip of their drinks.

The were soon deep in talk about the usual stuff; the repairs of the city, new recruits of the Lodge and the strange rumours from the Banuk lands. Talanah, who had travelled far in the Sundom itself, but never crossed the border into Ban-Ur or the icingly cold area known only as ‘The Cut’, and though she was curious, she firmly asserted that she had no wish to go there.

“Ugh, all that snow and ice? I’ll leave that to seasoned travellers such as yourself,” she said, shaking her head.

“I probably will have to go there. Rhavid keeps cornering me and talking to me about it whenever he sees me, and since we’ve been completing repairs along the Broken Stones, that’s almost every day.” Aloy took a sip of her drink, enjoying its exotic flavour. She had come to really like the food and drinks on offer in Meridian and there always seemed to be new things to try. She held up her glass and looked at it. “What is this drink made of?”

“Oh, the juice is from these small fruits called lychees. They only grow in the raining season. Have you not tried it before?”

Aloy shook her head.

“Do you like it? I also put a bit of raki in there, but only a little bit.”

Aloy should’ve known that Talanah would’ve added alcohol. “It’s definitely only a little bit? I can’t let this become a habit.”

Talanah laughed. “I promise. I need you in top notch form for that I have planned for you.”

Aloy promptly put down her glass and shook her head, looking to her friend. “Talanah, I… I know you said you wanted to help me. But I’m not so sure. I don’t think I can do this.”

“Aloy,” Talanah said in a soft voice, “Please, hear me out. What you’ve done for this city is nothing short of amazing. None of us, none of this,” she gesticulated around her, “would even be here if it weren’t for you. And now, you need to let your hair down. Honestly.”

Aloy laughed at her comments, not knowing where to look.

“Please. We’re all helping the people of Meridian rebuild, but I’ve noticed you during the breaks… You look… Lost, for lack of a better word? Like you’re not sure what you’re supposed to be next for you?” Talanah said and looked at her friend intently.

Aloy hesitated, mulling it over. It was true that her whole life had seemed to rush towards that great battle at the Spire. Of course, it had at first been the Proving, but everything had happened so fast that the quests all seemed to melt together. She knew that she hadn’t stopped for even a moment until Hades lay dead at her feet.

“So I feel like it’s my duty to tell you that sometimes - just sometimes - it’s OK to just stop and smell the roses. You’ve helped so many people, and I know for a fact that the human body needs to relax and recalibrate every now again,” Talanah continued, taking another sip. “Hell, that’s what sets us apart from the machines.”

“I guess.”

“You know I’m right.”

Aloy exhaled and relaxed back in her seat. “So… Erend?”

Talanah’s face positively beamed at her words and Aloy thought she looked just as excited, if not more, than when they had set out to conquer Redmaw all those months ago.

“Yes, Erend! The Captain of the Vanguard. Tell me more, have you seen him recently?”

“Umm… Yes, the other day down by the fishing docks. He came over when I was taking a break and he… Um, he asked about our night at the Lodge. About what our ‘secret business’ was.”

Talanah smiled brighter still. “AHA! So he’s curious. That’s good.” She sipped her drink slowly, deep in thought. “What did you say?”

“We got interrupted pretty quick. He had to go back to work. But, Talanah… It seemed like he wanted to ask me to go drinking with him.”

“Did he now.” It wasn’t a question. Talanah squinted her eyes, fixing her eyes upon Aloy. “Look, Aloy, I don’t make your decisions for you, but if it were me, I’d expect more than an invitation to join him and his grimy men at the local tavern.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean,” Talanah said, “is that although we like the Captain, there is no way I’m going to let him treat you like another commoner. Drinks at the tavern? Pfft,” she whistled. “You deserve more, girl.”

Aloy squirmed in her seat, unsure what to say. Talanah used the momentary silence to ask Reeja to bring them another round of drinks. Then she turned back to look at Aloy and said, “He needs to at least buy you dinner. At the very least.”

“Buy me dinner?”

“Yeah, you know. Take you out to one of the finer establishments in Meridian. The Sun knows he has the shards for it. He’s the Captain! I know for sure Avad pays him well.”

Aloy thought about what her friend had just set. Dinner with Erend? At one of those stuffy eating places that usually sat overlooking the mesas of Meridian? She felt claustrophobic just thinking about being in a place like that. She’d taken most of her meals by herself, during her travels, and before then, it had just been her and Rost around their fire, cooking the day’s catch over open flame. 

“I don’t really think it’s my scene.”

“Ah,” Talanah said, and quietly thanked the servant girl when she put down the fresh drinks. She handed one of the drinks to Aloy, then continued. “OK, I respect that. I forget that you aren’t exactly… How do I put it? Enamoured with upper class customs and etiquette.”

Aloy smiled nervously and sipped her drink. It really was tasty, she thought.

“What would you like to do with Erend?”

Aloy felt herself flush as images flashed through her mind.

“Not that! Hah, well, yes, but not quite yet. I mean, if not dinner, then something else? Doing something where it’s just the two of you.”

“”Oh… I, uh… Hunting?”

“Hunting?”

“Well, he’s not bad with machines. I saw that ages ago when we tried to rescue Ersa.” Aloy felt her chest tighten at the thought of Erend’s sister. She hadn’t known her, not at all, but she still felt incredibly sad for his loss. It would be similar to her losing Rost, she thought. She shook her head quickly, trying to get rid of those dark thoughts. “Even with a bow, Talanah. And even with all that metal to slow him down.”

Talanah smiled slyly at her. “Yeah, he might be good to go against the machines, but I don’t see how that in any way would make for a romantic outing.”

“Romantic?”

“Yes, romantic.” Talanah rolled her eyes. “That’s the whole point of this. To get the two of you away from the grit and grime of everyday life so you can just enjoy each other’s company. That way, you can find out if you actually like the guy, rather than just like his looks.”

Aloy felt herself blush again. Did she like Erend for his looks only? If she was being honest with herself, she hadn’t given him much thought to begin with, not his looks nor his personality. But he had grown to be a part of her new life, something constant and expected. She had felt herself light up when she saw him. He always seemed to have a way of putting a smile on her face, with his silly but poignant commentary of Meridian life. And, in recent times, she had noticed that she had been paying way more attention to how he looked… His armour, the way his body moved under it all, his smile…

“I do like him. Honestly, Talanah,” Aloy said, “I think I do. I thought he was a bit of an idiot the first time we met, but now I know he’s actually a great guy. He’s helped me a lot, too.”

Talanah smiled again. “That’s good. I thought so. But still, hunting? There wouldn’t be much time for talking… or other things.” The Sun Hawk’s eyes glittered in the dim light.

“Well, I don’t know what else there is. I don’t think I want to go to one of those eating places with him, and despite what you’ve made me do recently, I don’t really want to go drinking with him. I’d like to keep my wits about me.”

“Fair enough. Hmmm,” Talanah mused, becoming quiet for a moment, before speaking again. “OK, what about this. What about a picnic?”

“A picnic?”

“Yeah, you know, go somewhere outside the city walls. I know you’re not crazy about how busy it is in Meridian, so why don’t the two of you go down by the river? Bring some food, some drinks, then spend some time talking and getting to know each other?”

Aloy thought about it. She had been keen to get to know Erend more as time went on. She also felt this way about other people that she now considered friends. Spending time with Talanah, for example, was something she genuinely enjoyed. Friendships and connections to other people had been absent in her life growing up, and though she still felt awkward in many situations, she thought she was getting better at these things.

She knew, however, that what Talanah was urging her to do with Erend was different to the friendships she had developed with other people. She felt the familiar flutter in her stomach.

“A picnic… That would be… Nice, I think,” she said after a while.

“Excellent! I know just the spot. And it won’t even be that dangerous anymore, not with how tame the machines have been since Hades’ defeat. Do you know that old Strider site south of the city? I haven’t seen any machines there at all since the battle and neither have any of my scouts. It’s close by, and there’s already a bonfire there. You might see a few people come and go via the trade route, but other than that, I’d say you’d be left alone… And you never know, Erend might just pluck up the courage to kiss you.” At this, Talanah wiggled her eyebrows.

Aloy’s eyes widened. Erend kiss her? So soon? Although they hadn’t discussed when this picnic would take place, it still seemed like something she was totally unprepared for.

“Agh, don’t look so surprised. I’m sure you’ve heard how all the Vanguardsmen like to tease him about him doing just that. They know, even if you don’t.”

“I’ve never… I’ve never kissed anyone before, Talanah.”

“I know, huntress. But there’s a remedy for that, and it’s called practice. So please, drink up.” Talanah leaned back in her seat and looked up at the night sky. “Nice night for it.”

Aloy took a deep breath, mumbling something about being unsure about this whole thing. Talanah shot her a grave stare, and she took a big sip. She was starting to feel the effects of the drinks; she did feel quite relaxed and somewhat light headed.

“Usually first kisses aren’t so great. But if they’re followed by more kissing, real kissing, then you’ll soon find a rhythm with your partner. I can’t say I’ve had much experience with Oseram men, but you can’t say they’re not passionate.”

Aloy looked at her friend. “Is passionate a good thing?”

“By the Sun, it definitely is! And with someone with as much passion as you, I’m starting to really think that the two of you will be a great match. I can’t really see you with some well-mannered Carja… Nah, it’s got to be Erend.”

Aloy felt herself flush for what seemed like the umpteenth time that evening. She fell into such deep thoughts about kissing - kissing Erend - that she didn’t even notice that Talanah had managed Reeja to silently deliver another round of drinks. At her first sip, she noticed that this one was considerable stronger.

“It’s starting to get a bit chilly out here. Why don’t we go inside? I haven’t even given you a tour of this place. Where are my manners? My apologies, Aloy.”

They got up and walked back inside. Talanah proceeded to show Aloy the rest of her stately home. Aloy was impressed, to say the least. She didn’t think she would ever feel comfortable living in a place like that herself, but she admired the human ingenuity behind the elaborate building.

At last, Talanah led her into a type of sitting room, in which a fire was roaring, probably set up by Reeja earlier in the night. Aloy was definitely feeling the effects of the lychee drinks now, her body feeling warm and her mind circling back to thoughts of spending time with Erend.

They sat on the big lounge in front of the fire.

“So,” Talanah said. “Kissing. What do you know about it?”

“Uh... “ Aloy started.

Talanah proceeded, unperturbed. “Let me tell you, Young Thrush. Kissing is like a dance between two people.”

“I don’t do dancing, either.”

“Ha! Yes, I gathered. But, of course, it can be taught. It’s like learning a new weapon. Once you master it, you’ll never forget how to do it.” Talanah was now looking intently at Aloy, a glint in her eyes. 

Aloy could feel the heat of the fire dancing over her skin. The light was low, and she felt her heartbeat increase.

“Now, of course I could just leave the two of you to figure it out on your own… But where’s the fun in that? Besides, as my sources confirm, Erend has got quite a head start on you.”

“Uh… What?” Aloy said, confused.

“What I mean is, the good Captain has got a hell of a lot of experience in that department. And I don’t want him to think that he can just waltz you into his local drinking den and think that he’s got it in the bag. No,” Talanah shook her head, looking serious. “He needs to realise that you the most amazing woman to ever cross his path.”

Aloy squirmed in her seat. “How do we do that?”

“I can think of a few ways, Aloy Despite the Nora,” Talanah said, leaning over close to her. “Including this.” And before Aloy understood what was happening, she felt the Sun Hawk’s warm lips upon hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things will start heating up from here, but it will still be several chapters before we get to the explicit rating... I hope you're in it for the long haul!


	5. Practice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aloy's first round of practice.

Aloy knew she should’ve expected it, but she was still completely awestruck at the feeling of Talanah’s lips on hers. Never before had anyone ever been this close to her. Never in her whole life.

Talanah’s lips felt wet, soft and strange - but not altogether unpleasant. She was sitting very still, as if afraid to move.

She felt Talanah smile against her, before shifting closer and putting a hand softly on Aloy’s forearm. The Sun Hawk angled her head a fraction, then pursed her lips, making a sort of wet clicking noise before she pulled away.

“That, my friend,” she said, “is a kiss.”

Aloy stared at her, her hand coming up to feel her own lips.

“Just a small one, to get you started. I guess you could say that it gets more advanced from here.”

When Aloy didn’t respond, she continued. “What do you think?”

“Uh… It was nice, I think.”

Talanah threw back her head, laughing. “I didn’t want to frighten you straight away. Maybe you need another drink before we continue.”

Aloy’s fingers were still touching her lips. She thought that it had in fact been rather nice. She had been afraid that she would scramble away at such intimacy, but Talanah had been very gentle.

“I’m OK. Really. But Tanalah, that’s just a small kiss, right? That’s not the sort of kissing that Erend would want to do, is it?”

“Perceptive as always,” her friend said, taking a swig of her drink. “Yes, that’s a kind of sweet, first time kiss. When you get to the real stuff, you’ll want to open your mouth and use your tongue.”

Aloy felt a flutter in her stomach and forced herself to take another sip as well. Her initial trepidation was dissolving fast and she was becoming curious. As with everything else she had to learn in her life, she wanted to face it head on… So to speak.

She thought of Erend and how it would be kissing him. Talanah was all softness, though she did know that she could be fierce when the situation called for it. She had tasted the lychee drink on her lips, fruity and exotic. But Erend drank ale, and often lots of it. He would taste totally different, she thought. She wondered if his beard would be scratchy - she decided that it probably would - and her curiosity grew larger still.

“Are you ready for another round?” Talanah asked.

Aloy looked up at her. Though she was still nervous, she wanted more. She appreciated that it was just the two of them, locked away safely in Talanah’s room, far away from prying eyes and loud talking. She could do this.

“Yes,” she said, her voice firm.

“OK. Well, why don’t you sit back and relax?” Talanah said as she scooted closer to Aloy, putting one arm over her shoulders. They were now sitting side by side, Talanah’s body turned towards her. Her other arm went over Aloy and her hand came to cup her cheek.

“You just relax. You should let me guide you. Let your mouth open a bit when you feel me. And watch out for your teeth.”

Aloy didn’t understand much of the last bit of information, but Talanah continued. “You can close your eyes if you want to.”

As Aloy’s eyes fluttered closed, she felt Talanah move her face close to hers. Then, her lips were on hers again. It was still so soft, so gentle. Aloy let her head fall back, resting against Talanah’s arm. Soon, she felt the kiss becoming more insistent and then she felt Talanah’s tongue glide against her lips.

She inhaled hard through her nose. Her hands clenched into fists, not knowing what to do.

“Open your mouth, Aloy,” Talanah breathed against her. “Relax.”

Aloy didn’t feel it was possible to relax at all - her nerves were ignited, and she felt hot all over. But she did find that she quite enjoyed the kissing. It was soft, comforting, unlike anything she had ever experienced. She had expected to feel claustrophobic, but Talanah’s hands were stroking her upper arm were strangely soothing.

Talanah’s tongue slowly crept between her lips, seeking out Aloy’s. She kept her eyes closed, focusing instead on the curious sensation. Almost as if of its own accord, she felt her own tongue meeting Talanah’s.

After a few minutes, Talanah sat back, her pupils dilated and lips puffy. She smiled at Aloy, running a hand through her hair.

“Well, now that was not a bad first lesson.”

Aloy couldn’t stop herself from smiling nervously.

“Very good, huntress. Are you ready for round two?” And with that, Talanah leaned forward again, this time bracing herself over Aloy, pushing her back against the end of the settee. Talanah’s gaze was fixed upon hers, a hand coming up to grasp at her waist.

Soon, they were kissing in earnest. Aloy’s heart fluttered and something new, something very unfamiliar started to build within her. The feel of Talanah’s lips and tongue, coupled with her hand that was stroking her waist and belly, made her insides go alight. It was as if a fire started to burn within her.

Every now again, Aloy noticed herself stumble a bit, her teeth making contact with Talanah’s. The Sun Hawk giggled softly when that happened, then re-adjusted. Aloy felt another hand cupping the back of her head, fingers threading through her unruly hair.

It was really starting to get very hot in the room.

Her heart rate was at least as high as when she was facing a few Scrappers. She had to breathe a bit faster through her nose, her mouth occupied by the intimate kissing.

Finally, after what seemed hours, Talanah sat back and looked at her friend triumphantly. “So… What did you think of that?”

When Aloy spoke, she didn’t even recognise her own voice. “That was amazing.”

Talanah threw back her head, laughing. “Yes! Excellent.” She then leaned towards her again, “You are a natural, I must say.”

“Is that… Is that how it’s supposed to be?”

“Well, in parts, yes. But I think you will find that it’ll be even nicer when you’ll be kissing Erend.”

Aloy closed her eyes, trying to think of how it would feel. Kissing Talanah had been nice - very nice - but something within her told her that it would be a whole different game to be kissing a man. Whilst she found Talanah very beautiful, she didn’t necessarily want to be kissing her. It was the kissing itself that she enjoyed, not to mention the sensations it created in her, not the woman she was doing it with.

“You’re thinking of that right now, aren’t you?”

Aloy blushed, snapping out of her reverie.

“Gotcha.” Talanah handed Aloy her drink, then took a sip of her own. “You know, I have a feeling this is going to be even easier than I ever thought. Erend won’t know what hit him.”

Aloy swallowed a laugh at this. Though she did appreciate Talanah’s compliments, she was still unsure about her own abilities to navigate these uncharted waters. She was keen to learn, keen as anything, but intimacy was still very foreign to her. She constantly had to stop herself from worrying about saying or doing the wrong thing. At least, when it came to kissing, she thought, she wouldn’t have to worry about saying anything stupid.

“You’re going to have to get used to that Oseram beard of his though,” Talanah said. “Things can get a bit ticklish.”

“Ticklish…” Aloy muttered.

“Yeah,” Talanah continued. “And that’s not even mentioning how it will feel when he goes down on you.”

Aloy furrowed her brow, looking blankly at Talanah.

“Oooh,” Talanah said, that mischievous look once again on her face. “His mouth can be used for other things, Aloy… Or have your day dreams not gone that far yet?”

Aloy realised she would just have to get used to flushing furiously when she was with Talanah. What had she meant by that though? Going down on her?

“Look, I don’t want to spoil all the fun, my friend. I won’t spell it out for you, but just know that kissing your mouth is probably not the only thing the Captain has been thinking about.”

“Talanah!” Aloy gasped.

“It’s pretty much guaranteed, Aloy. I’ve seen how he looks at you. Practically eating you with his eyes. Hopefully he actually will get to eat you sooner, rather than later.”

Aloy grabbed a pillow, throwing it at her friend, who ducked and laughed.

“OK, OK! I’m sorry. Too soon. But you will thank me one day. I know I’m right.”

Aloy rolled her eyes, but she had to admit that Talanah was closer to the truth than she liked to admit.

“Perhaps that’s enough practice for one night. We both have a long day ahead of us tomorrow, so I’ll let you go. But you should think about that picnic idea. I’m not entirely sure of his work schedule, but he’ll have a day off here and there. There’s a lot to do still, but I know Avad doesn’t like to overwork his men.”

Aloy took a deep breath and sat down her finished drink on the table. She definitely felt a bit tipsy. Her body felt loose and warm, her head giddy. Maybe she was starting to understand the appeal of drinking alcohol, though not quite to the extent that Erend and his tribe did it.

The women stood and Talanah followed Aloy to the door.

“You have been an exemplary apprentice, Little Thrush. I have full faith that you will be a master seductress in no time. Perhaps the next step will be to work on your outfits.”

Aloy looked down at her simple Nora clothes. Her, dress up? Like the Carja?

“Don’t look so forlorn. I think we are about the same size. I have plenty of things you can borrow, if you don’t want to spend your own hard earned Shards… Or perhaps Erend would like to see you in some Oseram threads, hmm?”

“Goodnight, Talanah,” Aloy said, rolling her eyes. She had always thought that Oseram dress and armour was more trouble than it was worth. It was big and clunky; she preferred light, stealthy outfits.

“We’ll see, we’ll see,” Talanah said, opening the door. “Let’s meet again on Saturday night. I’m going to give you an assignment: spend some time with Erend and ask him out for that picnic. Don’t look so worried! He is going to absolutely jump at the opportunity to spend some time alone with you, trust me.”

Aloy drew a deep breath and stepped outside.

“Try to plan the picnic for the following week - that way, we can squeeze in some more practice. It’ll help you calm your nerves,” Talanah continued, winking at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if HZD uses weekdays, but I'm running with it!
> 
> Thanks for reading.


End file.
